Button feeding mechanism for button sewing machines



Jan. 12, 1954 L. EAGLE 2,665,651

BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHiIINES Filed Oct. 6, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet i 3nnentor 42%;. W W /ZQL Gttorneg Jan. 12, 1954 L. EAGLE 2,665,651

BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H '1 I I w 39 1- A 33 4Cv-/ 1 I Jan. 12, 1954 EAGLE 2,665,651

BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHINES 'F iled oct. 6. 1952 a Sheets-Sheet s TiTs- I 33 an 5 Gttomeg Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHINES Leo Eagle, Jackson Heights, Y.

Application October 6, 1952, Serial No. 313,343

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to automatic button feeding mechanisms for sewing machines.

To my knowledge, the problem of devising a satisfactory and commercially acceptable automatic button feeeding attachment for sewing machines has faced the industry for many years. Notwithstanding considerable research in this field, the feeding of buttons to a button sewing machine is still done manually and labor costs are correspondingly high. Many attempts have been made to solve this problem but none has had any significant success.

With the above in mind, I have devised an automatic button feeding attachment for sewing machines wherein one button of a series is automatically fed to the sewing site of a sewing machine upon actuation of a treadle or thelike by the operator. The button is always in proper position to be acted upon by the needles, a positioning device operating to orient the button so that the holes thereof are in proper position to be penetrated by the sewing needle.

The invention includes the use of a supply of buttons, such as in a hopper, buttons therefrom being gravity-fed to a rotating feed disk upon which is formed a plurality of button supporting recesses or openings. After each button is deposited from the hopper to a recess on the disk, a positioning device physically actuates and orients the button so that the holes thereof are in a predetermined and proper position. The properly oriented button then travels together with the disk on its way to the sewing site. The disk rotates in discrete steps after each sewing operation so as to successively present buttons to the sewing site. Thus, after each button is sewn, actuation of the treadle by the operator rotates the disk one step while the operator moves the fabric as required so that the next button may be sewn in the proper place.

The use of the invention herein described only requires treadle actuation and suitable movement of the fabric by the operator in contrast to conventional practice where the operator must select each button and insert it in place with correct orientation. In practicing the instant invention, the operator is not required to handle the buttons at all.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the button feeding attachment in connection with a conventional sewing machine;

Figure 2 is a side view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, slightly enrangement or series.

larged, as taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View as taken along the lines 4-! of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but illustrating the depression of the attachment feed disk;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional'view, enlarged, takenalong the lines 'I! of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arcuate lines B-8 of Figure 1.

Before describing the structure of the attachment, it is believed desirable to outline the se quence of operations so that the recitation of structure can be related thereto. Initially, the button are disposed ina hopper located above the feed disk. The disk rotates in discrete steps below the hopper and buttons are deposited therefrom during such rotation into peripheral recesses or openings formed around the edge of the disk. The mouth of the hopper is diametrically opposite the sewing site and the buttons are thus deposited on the disk in a semi-circular ar- The recesses of the disk which have buttons therein are advanced to the sewing site during the operation of the device.

Prior to the sewing of a button, the disk, in the particular form shown, is elevated relative to the bed or support upon which the fabric lies preparatory to sewing the button thereon. When the operator depresses a treadle or the like (not shown) the disk is pulled downwardly so that the button disposed at one end of the series rests against the fabric. The sewing machine needle then sews the button to the fabric in a conventional manner. At the same time, the depression of the disk by the treadle action closes a switch which effects actuation of an indexing device. This indexing device is near the other end of the semi-circularly arranged series of buttons and it rotates the button disposed at said end into proper orientation so that its holes are properly positioned. This position is maintained until the button arrives at the sewing site.

When the treadle is released, the disk is again elevated by a spring action and in travelling upward it closes another switch which causes the disk to be rotated one step or position so as to toward the sewing site, they are maintained in position by a spring plate so that once having and maintainingit in an opening 52.

3 been properly oriented, they will not become displaced therefrom.

The button feeding attachment is illustrated as being employed in connection with a conventional form of sewing machine 29. For example, a machine with which the attachment may be used is Singer No. 175-60, after having removed the button holder or clamp from the space between the headand the base.

Machine- 23 is formed with a neck 2! and a head 22. Head 22 is provided with a needle holder 23 supporting a needle 24. The machine is also provided with a base 25, theentire machine resting on a table 26. It will be ,un'derstoodby those skilled in the art that in a button sewing machine of this type, the needle 24 not onlyreciprocates vertically as in any-sewing .machine but it also reciprocates horizontally so as to successively penetrate the laterally disposed holes of a button for sewing it to a fabric.

The button feeding attachment is mounted on a basesd which supports a post 3| which has a central bore 32 for receiving a vertically disposed cable 33. In the-form shown, the lower end of cable 33 is drawn inwardly as by a treadle for depressing the feed disk 34 against the action of spring35, Disk 34-is-circu-lar and is formed with a hub 33 which loosely embraces the post 3|. and permits vertical. sliding movement of the disk in relation to said post. a

, Similarly loosely or freely disposed around th post 35 is a worm gear 31 bearing a pair of spindles .33 which engage two bores in hub 36. it will beunderstood that when worm'wheel 3'! is rotated, the spindles 38 effect corresponding rotation of hubz36 and of the disk 34 while the post remains .stationary. As-will hereinafter be more fully described, worm wheel 3'! is rotated by a lead worm 33 so as to produce stepped or intermittent rotation of the disk ,34 and the series of buttons disposed thereon.

Slidably connected to the post 3| as by a key 45 is the circular flange or collar 46. It will be recognized that collar 46 will be held stationary together with post 3| notwithstanding any rotation of disk 34 but-mayarise or fall vertically because of the keyed connection. Collar 46 is ;formed with a top-plate :4! which is secured thereto andserves as ;an upper terminalfor the cable 33. Thus,when ca ble 33 is downwardpace tuated, it will notonly-draw collar 46 downwardly but the horizontal flange 53 thereof will also force disk 34 downwardlyagainst the action of sp :35.

It will be observedthat disk. 34 is formed with a series of arcuately arranged, peripherally disposed openings .52, each being provided-with an interrupted, circular shoulder-53 for'seating a button 3. Each opening52 is provided with'a discontinuity or passageway 55 by which means the thread connectingthe buttons to the fabric maybe withdrawn afterza button has been sewed.

Connected to the horizontal flange 50 of collar 43 is a semi-circular spring plate 5|. =Spring plate -5lisalso formed with a series of arcuately disposed openings '60 corresponding to each opening-5'2 of thefeed disk and, being secured to collar it, does not rotate but iscapable of only vertical movement. Each opening 66 is defined by an annular, depressedbeadfil which serves tobear against the edge of a-button54 for firmly seating The end opening of plate5i designated asiilla and disposed at the sew n it vided W tha pa 4 sageway 65 for the purpose of cooperating with passageway 55 in permitting the thread to be withdrawn from the attachment after it has sewn the button to the fabric.

Horizontal flange 50 is also provided with an angle bracket ii! which supports a hopper ll having a mouth it for feeding buttons therefrom to the openings 52 of the disk 34. Hopper H may be semi-circularly formed so as to complement the circular form of the disk 34, the mouth 72 of the hopper being at the same radius as the open- .ings 52 in relation to the disk 36.

The hopper 1| is formed with a side wall Tia which is formed with a horizontal, semi-circular plate 33, disposed below the series of openings 52 so-that the plate supports any button which has been fed from the hopper H to the holes 52 as illustrated in Figure 3. The purpose of this support is to assure the horizontal disposition of each button as itis fed to an opening so that eachbuttonis properly disposed for the sewing action which follows the positioning or indexing act on.

As illustrated iii-Figure e, the hopper is divided into ,a plurality of compartments Ha, v.llb and Hc,each of which contains a supply of buttons. The-purpose of such multiple compartments is to render more assured the disposition or seating of a button in all'the open ngs of disk 34. .Thus,

for example, if a button from He does not succeed in being deposited from the first compartment into an opening, the second or third compartments will probably effect this result so that the possibility of an opening proceeding Without a button to the sewing site is minimized. Each compartmentisformed with a vertical end wall which supports a wiper or brush 16 which holds back the supply of buttons in the compartments while the disk 38 moves in its rotating action seas-to carry the buttons away from the hopper and toward the sewing point.

The means for driving the disk 34 intermittently will now be described. The electric motor 30 (Figure 7) is driven through any suitable source of power. The shaft 84 of the motor supports aone revolution clutch plate 82 having :a hub 83. Clutch plate 82 has a spring loaded pin .84 which is provided with a bevelled end face 85.

The complementary clutch plate 66 is driven by clutch 32 by the entrance of pin 84 into opening 8?. of clutch plateiifi.

.In order to effect intermittent clutch action,

.meansare provided to effect periodic disengagevment of these clutch faces. ,prises an elongated knife arm 88 having a bev- Such means comelledendface which may be caused to ride up the bevelled end face 85 of pin 84 so as to force withdrawal of thepin 84 from opening 31 against the spring loading action so as to interrupt the buttons disables knife arm .88 intermittently as will now be described.

When the operator depresses a treadle or the like so as to draw cable 33 downwardly, the feed .disk .34 together with the hopper H are also .drawn downwardly, and the sewing of a button may be commenced at that time. The depression .of-the treadle may automatically start the sewing operation or the operator may prefer to actuate the conventional treadle of the machine, either method being usable. .After the button has been sewn, the disk 34 is allowed to return to normal position by releasing the treadle. During such return, the feed disk is caused to advance one step by means of the following mechanism.

Connected to outer wall 12 of hopper II is a downwardly depending cam arm 90a which, upon its upward, return movement, is caused to contact and press roller 9Ia inwardly. Roller 9Ia is connected to arm 92. Arm 92 is a spring arm of microswitch 93, said microswitch being .provided with a switch button 94. Microswitch 93 is normally open and of the impulse type wherein depression of switch button 94 closes a circuit. The closing of microswitch 93 energizes solenoid I00, the armature IOI of which is pivotally connected to knife 88. Accordingly, actuation of the microswitch serves to pull knife 88 downwardly so as to permit pin 84 of clutch plate 82 to engage and drive the clutch plate 86. At the end of one revolution, the bevelled edge of knife 88 again enters into the slight space between the pin 84 and hole 81 and dis-engages the clutch plates because the microswitch 93 re-opens the circuit when it returns to a normal position as illustrated in Figure 3. On the succeeding downward movement, the roller 9Ia is not actuated inwardly because the cam arm 90a is normally at its center.

Clutch plate 86 is connected to a shaft I which is supported in bearings I08. Shaft I05 drives the lead worm 39 which, in turn, drives the worm wheel 31 for rotating the feed disk 34. Thus, the feed disk is driven intermittently upon each return of the disk to normal position after having sewn a button to the fabric.

As the buttons are fed to the openings of the disk 34, means are provided to position or orient them. accurately so that the needle may enter the holes of the button properly. Thus, it will be observed in Figure 1 that the first button I I0 of the series has its holes misaligned in relation to the remaining buttons. Such misalignment is thereafter corrected by the following mechanism.

Secured to disk 34 and disposed adjacent to the hopper or feeding end of the series of buttons, is a standard I25 having a central opening within which is rotatably supported a post I26 having a pair of indexing pins I21. Standard I25 includes a vertical arm I28 supporting a horizontally disposed rack I29 which meshes with a gear I30 secured to post I26. Rack I29 has one end thereof connected by a spring I3I to a bracket I32 so that the rack 129 is normally maintained in a leftward positionas viewed in Figure 2. It will be further observed in Figures 3 and 4 that hub 36 is provided with a circular flange I40 which is actuated downwardly when the cable 33 is thus actuated. Such action results in de-- pression of roller MI and arm I42 by the flange I49. This effects actuation of microswitch button I43 of the microswitch I44. Microswitch I44 controls a solenoid I45 (Figure 2) which is provided with an armature I46. Armature I45 is connected to the rack I29 so that it effects horizontal reciprocation of the rack I29 against the action of spring I3I. Microswitch I44 is a virtual duplicate of switch 93, being of the impulse type and normally open. However, switch 93 operates on the upward movement of the disk 34 while switch I44 works on the downward movement thereof.

The reciprocation of rack I29 causes gear I30 to rotate in the holderpor standard I25 so as to cause corresponding rotation of the spring loaded index pins I31 (Figure 5). As the rack is pulled inwardly by the solenoid, post I26 makes a com plete revolution so that the indexing pins I21 also make one revolution. Accordingly, notwithstanding the fact that button H0 may be held down by the spring plate 5|, the indexing pins I21 will enter the two holes of the button and will rotate it into proper position and this may occur at either of two points, since the post I26 rotates 360 degrees whereas only a degree rotation is ordinarily necessary as will be understood.

In the form shown, the properly aligned buttons have their holes in radial alignment with a radius line of the disk although it is obvious that this will depend upon the movement of the needle in the specific machine employed.

Each button having been initially oriented by the indexing pins, continued intermittent rotation of the feed disk 3i advances the buttons toward the sewing site. When the operator depresses the treadle so as to correspondingly depress the feed disk 34 as shown in Figure 5, the button to be sewn is brought directly against the fabric F which rests upon the conventional base I50 which receives the needle I5I. The broken line representation of the needle l5 which is shown in Figure 5 illustrates the horizontal reciprocation of the needle in sewing the button to the fabric.

As each such. sewing operation proceeds, the last button IIO to be deposited on the feed disk is being oriented into proper position. When the sewing of the button is completed, the operator withdraws the fabric from the base I50, the passageway 55 of the feed disk 34 and the pas sageway 65 of the spring plate 5| permitting the thread to be withdrawn together with the fabric. The release of the treadle has meanwhile shifted the feed disk angularly one more position so that when the operator moves the fabric for the next sewing operation, he again depresses the treadle and the feed disk and a new button, properly aligned, will be presented into position so as to be sewn by the needle. This action continues as long as buttons are fed to the feed disk from the hopper and they are advanced to the sewing site.

It will be understood that any type of button may be used and the indexing pins will be of a number and will be spaced according to the holes of the particular buttons being employed. Furthermore, it is quite evident that a second indexing post may be used to succeed the one shown so as to further insure the proper orienting of buttons before they are delivered to the sewing site. i

The machine as described herein will be used with conventional buttons but it is understood that it may be employed in connection with a particular type of button, a patent application for which I am simultaneously filing herewith, and which will liminate the necessity for a rotating form of indexing device, the serial number of my application being 313,342. Such a button, as reference to my above mentioned concurrent patent application will show, comprises cam surfaces on both sides thereof so that pressure alone against such cam surfaces by a pin-like object, will cause the button to rotate and such rotation will bring the button into proper posi' tion. Thus, as shown in my co-pending application, the post I26 need not rotate but need merely be brought and pressed against the button whereupon the cam surfaces of the button .aee's ai will :cansezitto tautomatically.- -rotate into proper v position.

*It ':Wi11:.b8 vunderstood I that whereas I .have

single unit.

What is claimed is:

1. A button yfeeding: mechanism for-use" with a button sewing machine comprising a feed sdisk having "a uniformly spaced 'series :of vibutton .receiving openings formed adjacent the edgeof'the vdisk, means to'rotate said disk intermittently sov as to advanceeach button :receiving opening to the sewingsite oisaid sewing :maohina'm-eans to orient each'button disposed in saidopenings before it arrives at'said sewing :site, said lastnazned means-comprising 'a post-having a pinrality of pins formed at one end thereof, said pins being adapted to enter the'buttonholes of each button for urging the button into a predetermined position in respect to the orientation of its buttonholes means to rotate said post for first bringing the pins thereof into alignment with and enter the buttonholes and then to rotate the buttoninto said predetermined position,

and means to'actuate said disk vertically for bringing the properly oriented button to a piece of fabric on'which thebutton is to be sewn, said means-to rotate saidpost being operative on a button preceding the one being sewn and during the'time'that it is sewn.

'2. A button feeding -mechanism according to claim '1 and including a microswitch having a spring armdisposed so as to be actuated by the vertical movement'of said disk when bringing a button to the fabric, said microswitch when closed operating an electrical circuit for rotating saidpost.

3. A mechanism according to claim 2 and including a solenoid energized by the closing of said microswitch, arack actuated by said solenoid when energized, and a gear connected'to said post, said rack engaging said gear so as to rotate said post when the solenoid is energized.

4. A button feeding mechanism according to claim 3 and including a spring plate disposed over said feed disk for pressing upon buttons disposed in said'button receiving openings so as to maintain them in said predetermined position.

5. A button feeding mechanism foruse with a button sewing machine comprising a feed disk having a uniformly spaced series-of button receiving openings formed adjacent the edge of the .disk, means to rotate said disk intermittently so bringing the pins thereof intoalignment with and enter the button holes and then to rotate the button into said predetermined position, means-to actuate said disk vertically for bringing the properly oriented .button'to a piece of .fabric on .which'the button is to be sewn, said means to rotate said postbeing operative on a button preceding the .onebeingsewnx-while it is being sewn-:to-the fabri iranda hopper connected to saidmeohanism above said feed disk, saidhopper being divided into a plurality of compartments eachhaving azmouthzfor feedingibuttons to the openings formed in said feed disk.

;6. A button feeding-:mechanism for use 'with a button sewing machine comprising .a feed disk havin a uniformly spaced series of button receiving-openings formed adjacenttthe edge of the :disk, means to rotate said disk'intermittently so as to :advance each button receiving opening ;to

the sewingsite of said'sewing machine, means 'to orient each button disposed in said openings beforeit arrives'atsaidsewingsite, said last-named .means comprising a post having a plurality of pins forme'dat one 'endthereof, said pins'being adapted to enter the buttonholes of a said button for .urging'the button into a predetermined position in respect to the orientation of its buttonholes, means to rotate said post for first bringing the pins -thereof into alignment with and enter the buttonholes and then'to rotate the but- "ton into said predeterminedposition, meansto actuate said disk vertically for bringing the properlyoriented button'toa piece of fabric on which the button'is to be sewn, said means torotate said post being operative on a button preceding the one being sewn while it is 'being'sewn to the fabric, a hopper disposed above said feed disk for feeding buttons'to'said openings-thereof, said means to rotate said "disk intermittently and advance each button being'operativeafter a button isbeing-sewn to'a piecepf-fa'bric andcomthat the :clutch, plates are normall-yengaged so asto normally rotate thedi'sk, and means -.to intermittently disengage said pin from the driven clutch plate, said last-namedmeans comprismg an arm, and asolenoidfor actuatingsaid .arm, said microswitch energizing said solenoid,

said arm bein operative when actuatedtoengage saidpln anddisengage itlfroinsaid driven clutch plate when the the fabric.

18. A .buttonjfeeding mechanism for use with a button sewingmachinecomprising.a feed disk disk is. lifted .away from 'havingaseries of. spacedv button-receiving opening's-formedadiacent the edge of the disk, means to rotate'said diskintermittentlyaso as to advance .eachbutton receiving. opening to" the sewing site ofthe sewingamachine, means to orient each buttondisposed in. said openings before it arrives at said :se-wing site, said last-named means comprising .a post i having a plurality of pinsforrned at oneendthereof, said pins being operative to enteritheibuttonholes ofeach button and urge thebutton into a predetermined position .in respect to the orientationof its buttonholes, and ya spring plate disposed adjacent to said feed disk for pressing upon buttons dis- :posed: in said buttonholes so as to maintain them in said predetermined position, said spring plate beingv formed 'with'auplura'lityof: openings corresponding, and in vertical alignment with, a plurality of consecutive button receiving openings formed in said feed disk.

9. A button feeding mechanism for use with a button sewing machine comprising a feed disk having a uniformly spaced series of horizontally disposed button receiving opening formed adjacent the edge thereof, means to rotate said disk intermittently so as to advance each button receiving opening to the sewing site of said button sewing machine, each of said openings being formed with a passageway extending through the periphery of the disk so that the thread of a sewn button may be removed therefrom, and a spring plate disposed over said feed disk and having edge portions disposed in each of said openings so as to bear against the buttons in said openings and maintain them in a predeter- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 373,330 Bennett Nov. 15, 1887 400,322 Gardner Mar. 26, 1889 958,251 Horton May 17, 1910 2,207,077 Stott July 9, 1940 

